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The Chosen Game: A Jewish Basketball History
by Charley RosenA few years after its invention by James Naismith, basketball became the primary sport in the crowded streets of the Jewish neighborhood on New York’s Lower East Side. Participating in the new game was a quick and enjoyable way to become Americanized. Jews not only dominated the sport for the next fifty‑plus years but were also instrumental in modernizing the game. Barney Sedran was considered the best player in the country at the City College of New York from 1909 to 1911. In 1927 Abe Saperstein took over management of the Harlem Globetrotters, playing a key role in popularizing and integrating the game. Later he helped found the American Basketball Association and introduced the three-point shot. More recently, Nancy Lieberman played in a men’s pro summer league and became the first woman to coach a men’s pro team, and Larry Brown became the only coach to win both NCAA and the NBA championships. While the influence of Jewish players, referees, coaches, and administrators has gradually diminished since the mid‑1950s, the current basketball scene features numerous Jews in important positions. Through interviews and lively anecdotes from franchise owners, coaches, players, and referees, The Chosen Game explores the contribution of Jews to the evolution of present-day pro basketball.
The Chosen One
by David OwenEarl Woods, the father of young Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, was widely ridiculed in 1996 when, in an article anointing his son as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, he likened Tiger's potential impact to that of a messiah. This unseemly proclamation appeared to embody all the worst elements of the dreaded sports-parent who seeks financial windfall and personal validation by pushing his child to excel on the diamond, the gridiron, the court, or the fairways. But in light of all we know now about Tiger Woods, David Owen asks in The Chosen One, who is to say that it wasn't Tiger's transcendent greatness all along that induced his father to guide him, rather than the father pushing the son? Not since the dawn of competitive tournament golf has anyone distanced himself from the rest of the world the way Tiger has. He is the best there is at nearly every aspect of the game: the longest driver, the strongest iron player, the most creative around the greens, and so sharp a clutch putter that when he putts well the tournament is over, and when he putts badly he often wins anyway. He is a breakthrough athlete in a sport remarkably resistant to them; in every tournament, Tiger has to beat a hundred-plus competitors, any of whom can take away a title with a four-day hot streak. When Michael Jordan won all his back-to-back championships, each night he only had to beat one team. Tiger is also a breakthrough athlete as one of the first true multicultural icons. There are African-American, Asian, Native American, and Caucasian elements to his roots; he carries with him parts of so many ethnicities that he not only shatters stereotypes but renders the whole notion of racial classification irrelevant. It is ironic that such an athlete would emerge in golf, America's most tradition-bound and racially insensitive sport. In The Chosen One, gifted essayist David Owen ponders the social, economic, and athletic implications of this amazing young man. We are only beginning to see all the ways that Tiger Woods might reshape the world. Owen's thoughtful, incisive, elegant, and provocative work examines this phenomenon unlike any the fields of play have ever seen, in a book that will stand alongside John McPhee's A Sense of Where You Are (about Princeton forward Bill Bradley) among the classic works of sports philosophy.
The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports
by Brian SmithThe Christian Athlete is a gospel-centered guide that assists athletes who identify as Christians and are seeking to understand how to practically apply their faith to their sport. Athletes desire—and deserve—a more substantive expression of the Christian faith in the context of sport, but they don&’t know what it looks like or where to turn to learn more. Author Brian Smith shares his story as an athlete and coach, and his experience working with high-level athletes in the last decade to help readers better understand how to integrate faith and sport by: Assisting those who want a wide-angled understanding of how to live the Christian faith in the context of sportsWalking through the many questions Christian athletes ask about winning, losing, injuries, practice, and everything in betweenMoving Christian athletes from simply having clichéd spiritual sayings decorating their bodies or t-shirts to actually living out their faith through all the opportunities their sport offers themThe Christian Athlete will show readers how to live out a biblical perspective on athletics and urge them to engage in the gifts they are given to glorify God whether they are the team MVP or riding the bench.
The Christmas Snowman
by Margery Cuyler Johanna WestermanTwo weeks before Christmas, Kevin and Sally decide to build a snowman. One night they look out the window and are amazed to see Mr. Snow-their snowman-making snow angels, sledding, and even skating on the pond. But when the weather warms up just before Christmas and Mr. Snow starts to melt, Kevin and Sally come up with a plan to save their friend by imploring the help of Santa Claus. Johanna Westerman’s elegant drawings compliment Margery Cuyler’s touching story to create a book that is perfect for children and parents to share during the holiday season. Ages 4-8.
The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit
by Ron SheltonFrom the award-winning screenwriter and director of cult classic Bull Durham, the extremely entertaining behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, and an insightful primer on the art and business of moviemaking. &“This book tells you how to make a movie—the whole nine innings of it—out of nothing but sheer will.&” —Tony Gilroy, writer/director of Michael Clayton and The Bourne Legacy&“The only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball.&” —Annie in Bull DurhamBull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball—especially a story set in the minors. The jury was still out on Kevin Costner&’s leading-man potential, while Susan Sarandon was already a has-been. There were doubts. But something miraculous happened, and The Church of Baseball attempts to capture why. From organizing a baseball camp for the actors and rewriting key scenes while on set, to dealing with a short production schedule and overcoming the challenge of filming the sport, Shelton brings to life the making of this beloved American movie. Shelton explains the rarely revealed ins and outs of moviemaking, from a film&’s inception and financing, screenwriting, casting, the nuts and bolts of directing, the postproduction process, and even through its release. But this is also a book about baseball and its singular romance in the world of sports. Shelton spent six years in the minor leagues before making this film, and his experiences resonate throughout this book. Full of wry humor and insight, The Church of Baseball tells the remarkable story behind an iconic film.
The Cincinnati Bengals Story (NFL Team)
by Allan MoreyFortunately the Bengals' uniforms have evolved. Today they wear bold, black stripes like Bengal tigers. Read about the Cincinnati Bengals' drive and evolution since 1968 in this title for young readers. This title includes: photo labels, scoring terms sidebar, and a team hometown map.
The Circling Sky: On Nature and Belonging in an Ancient Forest
by Neil AnsellFrom a 2018 Wainwright Prize shortlisted author, THE CIRCLING SKY is part childhood memoir, blended with exquisite nature observation, and the story of one man's journey over a year to one of the UK's key natural habitats, the New Forest of HampshireIn the form of several journeys, beginning in January 2019, Neil Ansell returns for solitary walks to the New Forest in Hampshire, close to where he was born. With beautiful sightings and observations of birds, trees, butterflies, insects and landscape, this is also a reflective memoir on childhood, on the history of one of the most ancient and important natural habitats in the United Kingdom, and on the Gypsies who lived there for centuries - and were subsequently expelled to neighbouring cities. It is also part polemic on our collective and individual responsibility for the land and world in which we live, and how we care for it.As Neil Ansell concludes so eloquently, 'Evolution has no choice in what it does, but we do, as a species, if not always as individuals'.
The Circling Sky: On Nature and Belonging in an Ancient Forest
by Neil AnsellFrom a 2018 Wainwright Prize shortlisted author, THE CIRCLING SKY is part childhood memoir, blended with exquisite nature observation, and the story of one man's journey over a year to one of the UK's key natural habitats, the New Forest of HampshireIn the form of several journeys, beginning in January 2019, Neil Ansell returns for solitary walks to the New Forest in Hampshire, close to where he was born. With beautiful sightings and observations of birds, trees, butterflies, insects and landscape, this is also a reflective memoir on childhood, on the history of one of the most ancient and important natural habitats in the United Kingdom, and on the Gypsies who lived there for centuries - and were subsequently expelled to neighbouring cities. It is also part polemic on our collective and individual responsibility for the land and world in which we live, and how we care for it.As Neil Ansell concludes so eloquently, 'Evolution has no choice in what it does, but we do, as a species, if not always as individuals'.
The Circling Sky: On Nature and Belonging in an Ancient Forest
by Neil AnsellFrom a 2018 Wainwright Prize shortlisted author, THE CIRCLING SKY is part childhood memoir, blended with exquisite nature observation, and the story of one man's journey over a year to one of the UK's key natural habitats, the New Forest of HampshireIn the form of several journeys, beginning in January 2019, Neil Ansell returns for solitary walks to the New Forest in Hampshire, close to where he was born. With beautiful sightings and observations of birds, trees, butterflies, insects and landscape, this is also a reflective memoir on childhood, on the history of one of the most ancient and important natural habitats in the United Kingdom, and on the Gypsies who lived there for centuries - and were subsequently expelled to neighbouring cities. It is also part polemic on our collective and individual responsibility for the land and world in which we live, and how we care for it.As Neil Ansell concludes so eloquently, 'Evolution has no choice in what it does, but we do, as a species, if not always as individuals'.(P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Limited
The Circuit: A Tennis Odyssey
by Rowan Ricardo PhillipsWinner of the 2019 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing“The Circuit is the best sports book I've read in years, maybe ever.” —Rich Cohen, author of The Chicago Cubs and Monsters“As sports writing goes, The Circuit is unusual in the very best way. Rowan Ricardo Phillips writes with such fluidity, and packs the book with bursts of brilliance. This is a compulsively readable guide to one truly Homeric year of professional tennis.” —John Green, author of The Fault in Our StarsAn energetic, lyrical, genre-defying account of the 2017 tennis season.In The Circuit: A Tennis Odyssey, the award-winning poet—and Paris Review sports columnist—Rowan Ricardo Phillips chronicles 2017 as seen through the unique prism of its pivotal, revelatory, and historic tennis season. The annual tennis schedule is a rarity in professional sports in that it encapsulates the calendar year. And like the year, it’s divided into four seasons, each marked by a final tournament: the Grand Slams. Phillips charts the year from winter’s Australian Open, where Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renewed their rivalry in a match for the ages, to fall’s U.S. Open. Along the way, Phillips paints a new, vibrant portrait of tennis, one that captures not only the emotions, nerves, and ruthless tactics of the point-by-point game but also the quicksilver movement of victory and defeat on the tour, placing that sense of upheaval within a broader cultural and social context. Tennis has long been thought of as an escapist spectacle: a bucolic, separate bauble of life. The Circuit will convince you that you don’t leave the world behind as you watch tennis—you bring it with you.
The Circus Is in Town: Sport, Celebrity, and Spectacle
by Jack LuleContributions by Lisa Doris Alexander, Matthew H. Barton, Andrew C. Billings, Carlton Brick, Ted M. Butryn, Brian Carroll, Arthur T. Challis, Roxane Coche, Curtis M. Harris, Jay Johnson, Melvin Lewis, Jack Lule, Rory Magrath, Matthew A. Masucci, Andrew McIntosh, Jorge E. Moraga, Leigh M. Moscowitz, David C. Ogden, Joel Nathan Rosen, Kevin A. Stein, and Henry YuIn this fifth book on sport and the nature of reputation, editors Lisa Doris Alexander and Joel Nathan Rosen have tasked their contributors with examining reputation from the perspective of celebrity and spectacle, which in some cases can be better defined as scandal. The subjects chronicled in this volume have all proven themselves to exist somewhere on the spectacular spectrum—the spotlight seemed always to gravitate toward them. All have displayed phenomenal feats of athletic prowess and artistry, and all have faced a controversy or been thrust into a situation that grows from age-old notions of the spectacle. Some handled the hoopla like the champions they are, or were, while others struggled and even faded amid the hustle and flow of their runaway celebrity. While their individual narratives are engrossing, these stories collectively paint a portrait of sport and spectacle that offers context and clarity. Written by a range of scholarly contributors from multiple disciplines, The Circus Is in Town: Sport, Celebrity, and Spectacle contains careful analysis of such megastars as LeBron James, Tonya Harding, David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal, Maria Sharapova, and Colin Kaepernick. This final volume of a project that has spanned the first three decades of the twenty-first century looks to sharpen questions regarding how it is that reputations of celebrity athletes are forged, maintained, transformed, repurposed, destroyed, and at times rehabilitated. The subjects in this collection have been driven by this notion of the spectacle in ways that offer interesting and entertaining inquiry into the arc of athletic reputations.
The City Game: Basketball from the Garden to the Playgrounds
by Pete Axthelm&“The master prose stylist portrays parallel basketball worlds in New York City: Madison Square Garden . . . and the playgrounds of Harlem&” (Sports Illustrated). The New York Knickerbockers, one of the NBA&’s charter franchises, played professionally for twenty-four years before winning their first championship in 1970, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in a thrilling seven-game series. Those Knicks, who won again in 1973, became legends, and captivated a city that has basketball in its blood. But this book is more than a history of the championship Knicks. It is an exploration of what basketball means to New York—not just to the stars who compete nightly in the garden, but to the young men who spend their nights and weekends perfecting their skills on the concrete courts of the city&’s parks. Basketball is a city game, and New York is the king of cities.
The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary Basketball Team
by Matthew GoodmanThe powerful story of a college basketball team who carried an era&’s brightest hopes—racial harmony, social mobility, and the triumph of the underdog—but whose success was soon followed by a shocking downfall &“A masterpiece of American storytelling.&”—Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Devil in the GroveThe unlikeliest of champions, the 1949–50 City College Beavers were extraordinary by every measure. New York&’s City College was a tuition-free, merit-based college in Harlem known far more for its intellectual achievements and political radicalism than its athletic prowess. Only two years after Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier—and at a time when the National Basketball Association was still segregated—every single member of the Beavers was either Jewish or African American. But during that remarkable season, under the guidance of the legendary former player Nat Holman, this unheralded group of city kids would stun the basketball world by becoming the only team in history to win the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year. This team, though, proved to be extraordinary in another way: During the following season, all of the team&’s starting five were arrested by New York City detectives, charged with conspiring with gamblers to shave points. Almost overnight these beloved heroes turned into fallen idols. The story centers on two teammates and close friends, Eddie Roman and Floyd Layne, one white, one black, each caught up in the scandal, each searching for a path to personal redemption. Though banned from the NBA, Layne continued to devote himself to basketball, teaching the game to young people in his Bronx neighborhood and, ultimately, with Roman&’s help, finding another kind of triumph—one that no one could have anticipated. Drawing on interviews with the surviving members of that championship team, Matthew Goodman has created an indelible portrait of an era of smoke-filled arenas and Borscht Belt hotels, when college basketball was far more popular than the professional game. It was a time when gangsters controlled illegal sports betting, the police were on their payroll, and everyone, it seemed, was getting rich—except for the young men who actually played the games. Tautly paced and rich with period detail, The City Game tells a story both dramatic and poignant: of political corruption, duplicity in big-time college sports, and the deeper meaning of athletic success.
The Civil War Battlefield Guide: The Definitive Guide to the 384 Principal Battles
by Frances H. KennedyThis new edition of the definitive guide to Civil War battlefields is really a completely new book. While the first edition covered 60 major battlefields, from Fort Sumter to Appomattox, the second covers all of the 384 designated as the "principal battlefields" in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report. As in the first edition, the essays are authoritative and concise, written by such leading historians as James M. McPherson, Stephen W. Sears, Edwin C. Bearss, James I. Robinson, Jr., and Gary W. Gallager. The second edition also features 83 new four-color maps covering the most important battles. The Civil War Battlefield Guide is an essential reference for anyone interested in the Civil War.
The Class of Football: Words of Hard-Earned Wisdom from Legends of the Gridiron
by Adam SchefterInsightful, poignant, inspiring, and witty, The Class of Football is a heartfelt collection of hard-earned wisdom and life's lessons from the Hall-of-Fame induction speeches of the NFL's all-time greatest players.Compiled in conjunction with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, The Class of Football brings together sage advice from legends of the game whose knowledge, leadership, experience, and athletic prowess made them heroes on and off the field. George Halas speaks on history, Alan Page on justice, Gale Sayers on perseverance, John Madden on passion, Steve Largent on mentors, Mike Singletary on childhood, Michael Irvin on family, Marv Levy on philosophy, and Willie Davis and the rest of the great Green Bay Packers on Vince Lombardi. Each Hall of Famer reflects on his life and career and, even more important, addresses how and why he was able to arrive, once and for all, in Canton, Ohio. Motivating and gripping, these wise words from nearly five decades of Hall-of-Fame history will live on long after the cheering.
The Classic Mantle
by Buzz BissingerFilled with stunning photos, this book by the #1 New York Times–bestselling sportswriter tells the story of Mickey Mantle’s legendary career.Mickey Mantle has long been considered one of baseball's most memorable figures—playing his entire eighteen-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1951-68), winning three American League MVP titles, playing in twenty All-Star games, and winning seven World Series. Today, decades after his retirement, he still holds six World Series records, including most home runs (18). Buzz Bissinger, Pulitzer Prize winner and acclaimed author of Friday Night Lights and Three Nights in August, goes beyond the statistics to bring Mantle to life, and striking photographs by Marvin E. Newman make this book a fitting tribute to Mantle’s career and his lasting impact on the sport of baseball.
The Classic Palmer
by John FeinsteinA portrait of legendary golfer Arnold Palmer from a New York Times–bestselling sportswriter, with numerous photos included. Over a career spanning more than half a century, Arnold Palmer amassed an astounding record of ninety-two worldwide titles, four Masters championships, a US Open crown, and back-to-back British Open victories, truly earning his nickname &“the King&”—as well as a legion of loyal fans who came to be known as &“Arnie&’s Army.&” He exuded a charisma that America loved—and even had a drink named after him. In this chronicle of one of the greatest players ever to swing a club, renowned sportswriter John Feinstein provides a vivid biographical portrait of golf&’s most beloved icon. Accompanied by Walter Iooss&’s superb photographs, The Classic Palmer lets golf lovers travel with Palmer on his journey from amateur to pro, from pro to master, and from master to legend.
The Classic: ’69 Chevy Camaro (Turbocharged)
by Eric StevensEddie King dreams of drag racing. When Eddie's dad ditched the family, he left behind a '69 Chevy Camaro, and Eddie's determined to get the old beater back into racing shape. He even sets out to get his dad's help with the project. When Eddie's dad shows up with an expensive new carburetor, Eddie can't help but wonder where it came from. Is his dad involved in illegal activity? And will Eddie get drawn in—or rise above it and compete in the big race? Includes real tech specs and tuning details for the '69 Chevy Camaro!
The Cleveland Cavaliers: A History of the Wine & Gold (Sports Ser.)
by Vince McKeePhotos, interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and in-depth analysis—the ultimate team history for Cavs fans! Take a courtside seat with sportswriter Vince McKee as he dishes out the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers from the founding of the franchise in 1970 to the triumphant return of LeBron James in 2014. Highlights include draft picks turned all-stars, such as James and Brad Daugherty; coaching changes; heated rivalries; player departures; and dubious distinctions like &“the Shot&” and &“the Stepien Rule.&” You&’ll also get insight and analysis of every epic run from legendary sportscaster Joe Tait; players Austin Carr, Craig Ehlo, and Larry Nance; and others as they reveal the untold true stories behind the major events in Cavs history.
The Cleveland Grand Prix: An American Show Jumping First (Sports)
by Betty WeibelHome to inventors of the first automobile, airplane and professional baseball team, Ohio is also the birthplace of the first horse show jumping grand prix in the Western Hemisphere. Longtime fans can relive the exciting victories of some of the finest horses and riders in history, while newcomers can experience the Cleveland Grand Prix's glory years as the premier summer social tradition for thousands of spectators. From harness racing to fox hunting, saddle up with equestrian authority Betty Weibel as she explains how this picturesque corner of the Chagrin Valley grew into a world-class horse sport hub.
The Climb (Everest #2)
by Gordon KormanA thrilling adventure trilogy from Gordon Korman that follows a group of young climbers to the top of Mt. Everest!The height of danger.Everest. The ultimate climb. The greatest of risks.Four kids are on a quest to reach the top-and none of them are among the four anyone expected to be there when Summit Athletic started the contest to bring the youngest team of climbers to the peak. Their ascent is not easy. The weather is harsh, and the competition is even harsher.Then the unexpected happens, and the climbing contest becomes a life-or-death rescue mission. With thinning air-and on thin ice-no one is guaranteed to survive.
The Climb: The Autobiography
by Chris FroomeOn 26th July 2015, Chris Froome entered the record books. He won cycling's ultimate race - the Tour de France - for the second time.Taking a double Yellow Jersey was a staggering achievement. This memoir shows just how remarkable it was, given the uphill struggle Froome faced. Growing up in Kenya, biking down mile after mile of dusty road, and staying in a humble tin hut, he developed a fierce passion and determination to win.The road to Europe was long, gruelling and filled with setbacks - but it prepared him for teamwork as a domestique and then the leap to leader of Team Sky and a shot at winning the Tour de France. In The Climb, written with the renowned investigative reporter David Walsh, he vividly recounts the struggles, the rivalries, the battles, the comebacks. Finally he traces his path to triumph and his mission to help clean up cycling.Inspiring and exhilarating, it will leave you ready to face your own challenges in life, whatever they may be.'Engaging, vividly evoked' Mail on Sunday, Books of the Year'What Chris has done is phenomenal' Sir Chris Hoy
The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
by Anatoli Boukreev G. Weston DewaltRob Hall and Scott Fischer both assemble teams of enthusiastic climbers who want to try their luck at climbing Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world (above sea level). This book is an account of what happened during the climb, as the climbers face both defeat and failure, drawing heavily on the viewpoint of Anatoli Boukreev, one of the guides employed by the Fischer expedition.
The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
by Anatoli Boukreev G. Weston DeWaltEverest, the major motion picture from Universal Pictures, is set for wide release on September 18, 2015. Read The Climb, Anatoli Boukreev (portrayed by Ingvar Sigurðsson in the film) and G. Weston DeWalt’s compelling account of those fateful events on Everest.In May 1996 three expeditions attempted to climb Mount Everest on the Southeast Ridge route pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Crowded conditions slowed their progress. Late in the day twenty-three men and women-including expedition leaders Scott Fischer and Rob Hall-were caught in a ferocious blizzard. Disoriented and out of oxygen, climbers struggled to find their way down the mountain as darkness approached. Alone and climbing blind, Anatoli Boukreev brought climbers back from the edge of certain death. This new edition includes a transcript of the Mountain Madness expedition debriefing recorded five days after the tragedy, as well as G. Weston DeWalt's response to Into Thin Air author Jon Krakauer.
The Clocktower Charm: Book 5 (Evie's Magic Bracelet #5)
by Elen Caldecott Jessica Ennis-HillThe fifth in a magical, exciting series by Olympian and World Book Day ambassador Jessica Ennis-Hill. Perfect for fans of Rainbow Magic and My Little Pony! What if you had a special bracelet that allowed you to do magic, just by thinking about it? Evie's grandma has sent her another parcel. Inside layers of tissue and colourful ribbons is a beautiful bracelet! Evie's going to need the bracelet - and a brave heart - when she investigates a spooky old clocktower. But she's always ready to have some magical adventures!Evie shares Jessica's determination and drive - an inspiration for kids everywhere.The full list of titles: 1. The Silver Unicorn2. The Enchanted Puppy3. The Sprites' Den4. The Unicorn's Foal5. The Clocktower Charm6. The Fire Bird7. The Golden Sands